Archive for month: April, 2012

Try and recall the first time you were rewarded for outstanding behavior or achieving a goal. Whether it was taking first place at a soccer tournament or earning good grades, this satisfied feeling caused a proud beaming sensation and you couldn’t help but smile. From that moment, you were addicted to reaping the benefits of rewards and recognition.

The key to business success is employee engagement: engaged employees produce results because when they are in a thriving environment, they are motivated to achieve. Employee engagement is a strategic and collaborative initiative, but will be less effective without a cohesive bond between team members.

I’m a new manager and I’m expected to do performance reviews with my team. Performance reviews seem so outdated — I don’t think something that resembles a report card helps with employee engagement. I would love to give my team feedback on their accomplishments and all the ways that we can improve our team. Is there a way that I can do this that’s more meaningful and engaging for my team?

/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/engage_logo-300x1021-300x102.png00Achievers/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/engage_logo-300x1021-300x102.pngAchievers2012-04-26 08:00:002013-07-26 23:35:10Out with the old performance review, in with recognition

Do you know someone who is social and liked and respected by everyone? Does this person have contagious energy? Is this person motivating and inspiring? If so, this person would make a great candidate for a “culture chief” at your office.

“Social media is at the forefront of communication, whether you like it or not. You can jump on the bandwagon or miss the train. As a leading company of the 21st century it is important for us to stay on top of the newest social media tools and platforms. At Achievers we use social media tools like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn to communicate our mission and core values, and to share industry-leading resources and build brand awareness.”

It takes a lot of dedication to build a great corporate culture, but it is essential to promote employee engagement and build a great company. In “How To Improve Your Corporate Culture,” Bruce Campbell writes that “companies that make no effort to build a corporate culture risk developing an ‘I don’t care’ culture. Their employees have no way of connecting to the larger purpose of the organization, nothing to identify with, nothing that gives work greater meaning.”

It’s easy for employees to get lost in their daily routines and lose sight of what their contributions are attributed to on a larger scale. Take a proactive approach to reinforce your organization’s alignment by planning a retreat geared toward employee engagement.

What do a loan officer, warehouse manager and accountant have in common? Okay, the answer probably didn’t come to you immediately, so I’ll let you in on the secret: these are some of the happiest jobs in America. Yes folks, you heard that right. CareerBliss recently released the list of the 20 happiest jobs in America, and since you’re probably wondering how in the world these jobs ever topped the list, we’ll break down the key reason why these jobs outshine the competition.

“As stress, change, pressure and constraints increase in an organization, so too does the need for a concerted effort to enhance employee recognition. Managers can find it difficult to give positive feedback during tough times, and managers are least likely to use a recognition program when morale is low. Encourage leaders to recognize employees when it’s hardest to do so—that’s when it’s needed most!”

/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/engage_logo-300x1021-300x102.png00Achievers/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/engage_logo-300x1021-300x102.pngAchievers2012-04-17 08:00:002013-07-29 17:37:22Warning: When recognition is needed most

Picture this: you drag yourself out of bed at the crack of dawn for exercise boot camp. You’re barely awake but have already committed to the challenge; you just need a little guidance. The boot camp leader blows his whistle for warm up, yet remains seated and offers zero feedback during the session. Your workout falls flat and demotivation ensues.

There is nothing more demotivating than a poor leader. We’ve all experienced this trend and have suffered from the results. But it’s time to Change the Way the World Works, and send the poor managers of the world to leadership boot camp.

Good news – your top tier candidate signed an offer to work at your company! You have recruited a strong new hire and deserve a pat on the back – however, efforts to impress should continue long after the offer is accepted.

If you’re looking to onboard new hires with ease, then one thing to perfect is your company’s first impression. For your new hires, arriving on their first day is like a food critic evaluating the hottest new restaurant in town. You’ve earned the coveted spot, but now you’ve got to show this person why. From the minute they sit at their table the first impression clock starts ticking, and determines the success of the meal. Even if the person leaves the restaurant with happy taste buds, they will never forget a poor first impression.

I keep hearing that companies are using social media sites like Facebook to help motivate and engage their employees. I don’t get it—aren’t they just time wasters? I want to help my employees reach a good work-life balance, but I’m afraid that social media will just be a distraction.

/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/engage_logo-300x1021-300x102.png00Achievers/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/engage_logo-300x1021-300x102.pngAchievers2012-04-12 08:00:002013-07-29 17:38:43Harness the power of social media: Empower employees to share

Hi, I’m Monica and I use Achievers to provide our teams with a rewards and recognition solution that works. Our employee engagement scores have gone through the roof. How do I know that? Achievers has the most advanced reports on the market. I always have up-to-date information on the success of the program providing me with the perfect recognition recipe for success!

“To recruit and retain top talent, an organization needs to be exceptional at recognizing employees in ways they value. Modern leadership must accept that recognition has a different meaning for Gen X and Gen Y employees than for previous generations. They grew up with it and they expect it. Create a culture of recognition where employees are empowered to choose their own rewards and they’ll never leave.”

Communication is vital to employee engagement. All high-performing organizations have great communication and, unsurprisingly, it is a top motivator for employees. Great communication within an organization can be defined as open, consistent, transparent and multi-directional.

This means that ideas and direction not only come from the top, but employees also contribute to the conversation. Dialogue is free-flowing and comes from both directions, as simple and basic as a homemade telephone with two soup cans and a string. Managers who are great communicators are also available to their employees for support, encouragement and questions. Finally, good leaders share the organization’s successes as well as its failures with employees because everyone has the right to know about it and transparency builds trust.

Do your employees enjoy coming to the office? Are you looking for tips on how to improve productivity, morale, and happiness? At Achievers, we believe that a working environment should reflect a company’s culture and values, influence productivity, and evoke success. Organizations are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to keep their employees engaged; however, the answer is right in front of you.

Recently, we’ve been fortunate enough to bring on a few new hires. We’ve already improved our employee engagement throughout our company. Now that we’ve brought on new people, how do we ensure our new hires are engaged and productive from day one?

Have you ever experienced long wait times? do you know that ‘on hold’ elevator music all too well? We’ve all been there….Chris tells his story here, add your own fun twists and turns to create your unique customer service nightmare story!

WE ARE EXTENDING THE DEADLINE FOR OUR $100.00 CONTEST “TELL US YOUR BEST RECOGNITION STORY” TO APRIL 10TH! CLICK HERE AND FILL OUT THE FORM TO BE ELIGABLE TO WIN $100.00 WORTH OF POINTS THAT CAN BE REDEEMED FOR ANYTHING IN OUR CATALOGUE!!!!!

Millennials, Gen Y and Generation Me. These are just a few ways that Millennials have been described over the years. Do you wish you had some tips for understanding the needs of the future workforce? Many employers view the Millennial generation as an enigma, but you can’t afford to be uneducated about Millennials, as they are the future employees and leaders. It is estimated that by 2025, 75% of the workforce will be Millennials. The Class of 2012 will be graduating in a few short months, and it is important for employers to understand how to recruit, retain and inspire them. So how do you get the inside scoop about Millennials and what they want?

What does it take for managers to motivate employees to achieve powerful results? Developing a strategy for employee engagement is the formula for an organization’s success, which starts with several initiatives geared towards strengthening the employee-manager relationship. We’re pleased to share The Employee Engagement Pyramid by David Zinger, which illustrates the most important fundamentals of employee engagement, thanks to The Globe and Mail’s recent post on the 10 building blocks for employee engagement. Read more →